MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – The committee searching for Kansas State University’s next president has selected 15 candidates to interview for the position.

The Manhattan Mercury reports that 81 people applied for the position. Regent Dennis Mullin, who heads the Kansas Board of Regents’ committee, says the number of applicants and the number of qualified candidates were higher than expected.

Mullin says he hopes the committee can select someone in early November or by Thanksgiving Day at the latest.

Former president Kirk Schulz announced in March that he was leaving the university to become the president of Washington State University. An interim president has been serving since late May.